It was only a few months ago, around the time of Hurricane Helene, where residents were enamored by the frequent visitation of an individual turkey, who often could be seen at Sapphire Valley Resort.
To some, she was Tammy, and to others, Sally. But one consistent aspect of her regular appearance was the joy that she would bring to those she encountered before her sudden disappearance last month.
According to Raymond Davis, a local resident in the area, the turkey first appeared around the time of the arrival of Hurricane Helene, in which she quickly grew accustomed to the generousness of the community.
“You never see them by themselves, but she was gorgeous. I mean her feathers were just amazing. Very, very beautiful,” he said. “It showed up there all by itself. It was a hen and she just started hanging around the parking lot in different locations within the Sapphire Valley Resort.”
The turkey would usually be seen in the parking lot within different locations in the resort, going from the recreation center, to the community center and the checkout area at Wyndham. Davis also noted that the turkey, in its own a way, became a local mascot, where residents and visitors would regularly see and feed her.
“Even at Wyndham, the people at Wyndham told me that tourists really enjoyed seeing her. And she was just hanging around and didn’t bother anybody,” he said.
However, the turkey’s frequent visits came to a halt at the end of last month when she suddenly disappeared from the area without warning.
“It was the last Friday, Jan. 31, about 10 a.m. since she’d been hanging out over there. That’s where I went and didn’t see her,” Davis said.
According to Davis, he approached the Sapphire Valley Master Association for further information regarding the bird, where he was informed that it was relocated by an employee to Narrow Falls at Holly Forest. Since then, the turkey has not been seen by anyone.
While residents continue to speculate over the fate of the beloved turkey, Jackson County Wildlife Officer Cole Burch said there is no evidence that the animal was harmed in any way, but the case still remains an open investigation.
“There’s no evidence that the Turkey is deceased. Just because it’s missing from a community in a parking lot doesn’t mean that it can’t be in the woods surrounding that area,” he said.
Burch said the turkey was relocated away from the parking area that it initially inhabited to a property owned by Holly Forest. While relocating a wild animal is illegal in the State of North Carolina, no charges have been pressed against anybody.
“The guy with the community that actually moved it to the property owned by Holly Forest, and I verified that with them. Based on the intent of what they did, it’s not a case where I particularly want to charge anybody,” he said. “They felt like they were doing the right thing, and we had the conversation.
Burch also noted that turkeys are traditionally migratory animals, and it is entirely possible that she may have moved on to a new location. However, he also reiterated that there is no evidence for or against that as well.
“They can go to every day and see it like it’s a wild animal that moves depending on, you know, food, time of year, things of that nature,” he said.
While there are no conclusive answers to her whereabouts, the turkey’s disappearance still leaves an empty void for many in the area, with Davis expressing hope that she may pop up again one day.
“I hope that she is where they said they released her. I’ve been there several times with food and have not seen that, have not seen her. But I would like to continue to go over there and see if I can find her just for peace of mind,” Davis said.